Channel indicia display device

ABSTRACT

A channel indicia display device for use in a TV receiver or the like comprising a fixed mask with a transparent window therein and spaced therefrom, indicia carrying means preferably in the form of a rotatable disc. The indicia carrying means has situated thereon two rings of indicia such as numerals representative of each of the channels and is movable to bring selected indicia on both of the rings sequentially into alignment with the viewing station. Interposed between the window and the indicia carrying means are means for rendering visible selected indicia alternatively from one ring and then the other in the form of a rotatable mask having two rings of alternating transparent and opaque portions. Means are provided for driving the visibility rendering means and the indicia carrying means in synchronized fashion such that the movement of the indicia carrying means causes the visibility rendering means to permit visibility of only the single indicia on the indicia carrying means corresponding to the channel to which the receiver is tuned.

United States Patent [1 1 Gibson et al.

[ CHANNEL INDICIA DISPLAY DEVICE [75] Inventors: Richard D. Gibson, Wilbraham;

Robert D. Whelan, Springfield, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: General Instrument Corporation,

Clifton, Ni

[22] Filed: June 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 366,324

Primary Examiner-Jerry W. Myracle Assistant Examiner-Denis E. Corr I45] June 3,1975

[57] ABSTRACT A channel indicia display device for use in a TV receiver or the like comprising a fixed mask with a transparent window therein and spaced therefrom, indicia carrying means preferably in the form of a rotatable disc. The indicia carrying means has situated thereon two rings of indicia such as numerals representative of each of the channels and is movable to bring selected indicia on both of the rings sequentially into alignment with the viewing station. lnterposed between the window and the indicia carrying means are means for rendering visible selected indicia alternatively from one ring and then the other in the form of a rotatable mask having two rings of alternating transparent and opaque portions. Means are provided for driving the visibility rendering means and the indicia carrying means in synchronized fashion such that the movement of the indicia carrying means causes the visibility rendering means to permit visibility of only the single indicia on the indicia carrying means corresponding to the channel to which the receiver is tuned.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Willa.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SHEET II II PA ENIED JUN 3 I975 F/QZ CHANNEL INDICIA DISPLAY DEVICE The present invention relates to display devices and more particularly to a channel indicia display device for use in a TV tuner or the like to display a numeral corresponding to the channel setting.

Many types of display devices have been used in conjunction with communications receivers to apprise the viewer or listener of the particular channel, station or frequency to which he is tuned. These display devices are usually extremely simple in character. On radios, for instance, they usually take the form of an indicator mounted on a movable cable which is operably connected to the tuner control shaft. As the tuner shaft is rotated to change the frequency of the radio, the indicator is moved in front of a scale. The scale and the movement of the indicator are calibrated to permit a listener to read the frequency to which he is tuned.

Until recently, channel indicia display devices used on TV receivers were even simpler. Generally, these devices comprised a translucent or transparent disc which was operably connected to the channel selector shaft of the TV. On this disc were placed numerals in a ring, each of which corresponded to one of the channels. A fixed mask was used to prevent visibility of all but a single numeral on the disc. As the channel selector shaft was rotated, the disc rotated thus causing the numeral corresponding to the channel to which the receiver was tuned to be moved into a position where it was visible. This configuration was adequate for use in receivers which were capable of receiving only the twelve channels in the VHF band. However, now that the UHF channels have become popular, television tuner manufacturers are faced with the problem of constructing a channel indicia display device which can be used for the 70 UHF channels.

In order to be commercially feasible, such a display device must take up only a small amount of space in the tuner. Because television set manufacturers are constantly looking for ways in which to make their sets smaller, only an extremely limited amount of space can be afforded the channel indicia display device. Further, competition between tuner manufacturers demands that the display device be capable ofinexpensive manu facture because a production cost of only a few cents per tuner can amount to a considerable sum when tuners are being produced on a mass production basis. In addition, it is necessary for the tuner indicia display device to be of simple construction, not only because of the size and cost limitations, but because the device must be repairable or replaceable, should the necessity arise, without extensive cost.

Optimally, the size of the numerals on display should be large enough to permit easy visibility. Of course, as the number of numerals which must be displayed in a particular device becomes greater, the problem of the size of the numerals also becomes greater. This is particularly true in view of the fact that the display device itself must be oflimited size. Human factor studies indicate that the numerals should be at least 0.2 inches high to be readable at a distance of 6 feet. It is, of course, possible to increase the numeral height through the use Of a cylindrical magnification lens or the like in order to provide numerals of an acceptable size. However, such techniques have thus far proved economically unfeasible because of the cost of such lenses and the distortion inherent in the use of cylindrical magnifying lenses.

It is, therefore, the prime object of the present invention to provide a channel indicia display device for use in a TV tuner in which every UHF channel number can be individually displayed and which takes up a minimal amount of space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a channel indicia display device in which each of the numerals displayed is of suitable size without the use of magnifying lenses.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a channel indicia display device which can be inexpensively manufactured.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a channel indicia display device which functions without the excessive noise inherent in many prior devices during channel selection.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a channel indicia display device which is comprised of simple, low-cost, reliable parts which may be repaired or replaced inexpensively.

In accordance with the present invention a channel indicia display device for use in a TV receiver or the like is disclosed. A viewing station is defined by a fixed mask which has a transparent window therein. Behind the fixed mask, an indicia carrying means preferably in the form of a rotatable disc, is situated. Upon the disc are formed two concentric rings of numerals each of which represents a different channel designation. Two rings of numerals are utilized in order to minimize the size of the device while at the same time permitting the display of numerals of appropriate size without the necessity for magnifying lenses. The fixed mask is situated such that a portion of both of the numeral rungs can be viewed simultaneously through the window.

Means for rendering visible selected indicia alternatively from one ring and then the other is provided interposed between the fixed mask and the rotatable disc. The visibility rendering means takes the form of a rotatable mask having two concentric rings of alternating transparent and opaque sections. One of the rings on the visibility rendering means is offset by a given angle from the other ring. This configuration permits visibility of only one of the numeral rings at a time through the window in the fixed mask. Means are provided for driving the visibility rendering means and the indicia carrying means in'synchronized fashion such that the movement of the disc causes the movement of the rotatable mask to permit visibility at any one time of only the single numeral corresponding to the frequency to which the receiver is tuned.

The device of the present invention permits the visibility of numerals which are large enough to be easily visible while simultaneously limiting the size of the device. Further. the device is comprised of easily and inexpensively manufacturable parts which interact in a simple mechanical manner to achieve the desired result. Because of this, the device is sturdy and reliable and permits easy and inexpensive repair or replacement.

To the accomplishment of the above and to other aspects as they hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a channel indicia display device as defined in the appended claiims and as described in the specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The channel indicia display device of the present invention comprises a viewing station which is formed by a fixed mask, generally designated A. Mask A has a transparent window which permits visibility of a portion of an indicia carrying means, generally designated B, situated in alignment therewith. Means B preferably takes the form of a rotatable disc having situated on the surface thereof two rings of indicia in the form of numerals corresponding to the different channel designations. Means B is operably connected to the tuner control shaft such that the numeral corresponding to the channel setting and the numerals adjacent to it or parts thereof are always in alignment with the window.

Means, generally designated C, for rendering visible selected indicia alternately from one ring and then the other is interposed between viewing station A and indicia carrying means B. ln its preferred form, means C is a rotatable disc having two rings of alternating transparent and opaque sections. One of the rings in means C is offset from the other by a given angle. The numeral rings of means B are aligned with the transparent window of means A such that a portion of the numeral rings, at least as high as one of the numerals situated thereon and as wide as the combined width of the rings, is visible through the viewing window. Means C is interposed between the window and the numeral rings such that only a single numeral from one of the rings is visible at any one time.

Means, generally designated D, for driving the visibility rendering means C and the indicia carrying means B in synchronized fashion are provided. The movement of the indicia carrying means B causes visibility rendermg means C to permit visibility at all times of only the single numeral corresponding to the frequency to which the receiver is tuned.

The use of two concentric rings of numerals on the indicia carrying means B permits the device to display numerals of sufficient size corresponding to all of the UHF channels without causing the display itself to be unduly large. The use of the visibility rendering means C and its synchronization with the movement of indicia carrying means B permits the visibility of only a single numeral at a time even though both numeral rings are situated on the same indicia carrying means. Thus. the device of the present invention provides a simple. reliable, inexpensive and relatively small means of displaymg a large number of channel indicia of easily visible size.

More specifically, viewing station A comprises a mask portion which is situated parallel to the front of the TV receiver for purposes of visibility. Integral with mask 10 is a member 12 which extends perpendicular to mask 10 to form a mounting bracket for viewing station A. Member 12 is fastened to the receiver chassis 14 in any appropriate manner. Situated on mask 10 is a viewing window 16 which permits visibility of the area directly behind the viewing window. Also integral with mask 10 is a Ushaped element 18 which serves as a mounting bracket for visibility rendering means C.

Fixedly mounted to tuner control shaft 20, which extends from tuner chassis 14, is indicia carrying means B. As seen in FIG. 2, indicia carrying means 8 is preferably a disc with a step-like cross-sectional configuration. The cup-shaped base portion 22 of means B supports a flange 24 which in turn supports a second flange 26 spaced at small distance from flange 24 by rim 28.

Flange 26 has a substantially ring-like structure when viewed from the front (see FIG. 1). Upon flange 26 are situated two concentric rings of indicia in the form of numerals representative of the different channels which can be selected by the receiver. Preferably, one of these rings (the outer ring as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) has even numerals thereon and the other of these rings (the inner ring as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) has odd numerals situated thereon. Further, it is desirable that the numerals in the inner ring be positioned midway between adjacent numerals in the outer ring as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Visibility rendering means C is rotatably mounted within U-shaped element 18 on a shaft 19. Means C takes the form of a rotatable disc 30 having situated thereon two concentric rings of alternating transparent sections 32 and opaque sections 34. One of the rings on disc 30 is offset from the other ring by a given angle. The offset angle is calculated such that as a viewer looks through window 16 a transparent portion 32 permits visibility of only one of the numeral rings while an opaque portion 34 masks the other ring.

A pinion gear 36 is fixedly mounted to the rear sur face of rotatable disc 30. The teeth of pinion gear 36 mesh with the gear teeth 38 situated on the inner surface of rim 28. lndicia carrying means B is operably connected to the selector knob 40 on the front of the receiver. As selector knob 40 is rotated, indicia carrying means B is rotated along with the control shaft 20 in order to condition the tuner to select the desired channel. As indicia carrying means B is rotated, gear surface 38 causes pinion gear 36 and therefore disc 30 to rotate in a synchronized fashion with the indicia carrying means B. A rotation of the selector knob 40 sufficient to condition the tuner to receive the next adjacent channel will also rotate indicia carrying means B through an angle sufficient to align the next numeral with window 16. Since the outer ring has the even numerals and the inner ring has the odd numerals, this means that if the previous number was on the outer ring the next successive number will be located on the inner ring and vice versa. Window 16 is wide enough to permit visibility of a portion of both of the rings simultaneously. However, visibility rendering means C is structured and connected to the remainder of the mechanism to permit visibility only of the numeral corresponding to the actual frequency to which the receiver is tuned. This is accomplished by synchronization of the movement of indicia carrying means B and visibility rendering means C. At any one time, the portion of visibility rendering means C aligned with window 16 will comprise a transparent section 32 from one of the rings and an opaque section 34 from the other of the rings thereon. Obviously. opaque section 34 will obscure the portion of the numeral ring immediately behind it, and transparent portion 32 will permit visibility of the numeral ring immediately behind it.

The gear ratio between pinion gear 36 and gear 38 is such that when indicia carrying means B is rotated through an angle to bring a numeral in sequence in alignment with window 16. disc 30 is rotated such that only the numeral ring which contains that numeral will be visible through window 16. On the next rotation of indicia carrying means B, the next successive numeral will be on the other ring. This rotation will cause disc 30 to rotate to a position wherein only the other ring is visible through window 16 thus permitting visibility only of a single numeral at any one time.

The dimensions of window 16 are such that if, as shown in FIG. 1, the tuner is tuned to channel 22, numeral 22 is squarely within window 16 which has a height greater than any one numeral on the rings and a width at least equal to the combined width of both the rings. When numeral 22 is aligned with window 16, numerals 21 and 23 (on the inner ring) are each only partially aligned with window 16 because the inner ring is offset from the outer ring by a given angle. Additionally, only numeral 22 (outer ring) is visible because numerals 21 and 23 are masked by an opaque portion 34 of disc 30. When the next channel is selected, indicia carrying means B is advanced, the numeral 23 will be aligned with window 16 and numerals 22 and 24 will be in partial alignment. In addition, only numeral 23 (inner ring) will be visible because the rotation of indicia carrying means B will also cause the rotation of visibility rendering means C such that an opaque portion 34 will align to mask the outer ring (numerals 22 and 24), and a transparent portion 32 will align with window l6 and the inner ring to permit visibility only of numeral 23.

For example, it is desirable that the numeral height should be at least 0.2 inches to be readable at a distance of 6 feet. lt can be calculated that a rotation of 442 per channel will permit all seventy UHF channels to be put in two concentric rows on a 4-inch diameter disc. For proper synchronization, each row on visibility rendering means C is comprised of three transparent sections 32 alternating with three opaque sections 34. Therefore, rotatable disc 30 comprises six pieshaped sections each of which has an opaque and a transparent portion and each of which is 60 wide. A gear reduction of 60/442' or approximately l2.7 is necessary between pinion gear 36 and gear 38. Therefore, for each 442 rotation of indicia carrying means B, visibility rendering means C will be rotated 60. The rotation of indicia carrying means B through an angle of 442" causes the next successive numeral (on the other ring) to align with window 16. This rotation also causes the appropriate rotation of visibility rendering means C such that only the numeral ring having the aligned numeral thereon is visible through window 16. in this way, only the appropriate numeral is visible at the viewing station at any one particular time.

The result is a device which permits the display of nu merals representing each channel in The UHF band. The numerals are of acceptable size for comfortable viewing. The parts are simple and easily manufactured and the device itself takes up a minimum amount of space.

A single preferred embodiment of the present invention has been specifically disclosed herein for purposes of illustration. It is apparent that many variations and modifications may be made upon the specific structure disclosed herein. It is intended to cover all of these variations and modifications which fall within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A channel designation display device for use in TV or the like comprising a rotatable member having situated thereon two sets of numerals representing channel designations, said sets being arranged on said member in the form of concentric rings, each of said sets forming one of said rings, and masking means comprising a fixed opaque mask situated in front of said disc and having a transparent window aligned with a portion of both of said numeral sets and having a first dimension substantially equal to the combined width of a numeral in each of said sets and the second dimension substantially equal to the height of one of the numerals and, interposed between said member and said window, a rotatable mask having two sets of alternating opaque and transparent regions, said regions being arranged in concentric rings, each of said region sets forming one of said rings, one of said mask rings being offset relative to the other by a given angle, means for operably con necting said rotatable mask to said member, such that the rotation of said member causes said rotatable mask to alternatively mask portions of said window corresponding to first one and then the other of said numeral sets, thus permitting visibility of only a single numeral on one of said numeral sets at-any one time.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said angle is equal to the number of regions in any one ring on said rotatable mask divided into 360.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein one of said concentric rings is offset from the other by a second given angle.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the rotation of said member through an are equal to said second given angle rotates said rotatable mask through an arc equal to said given angle.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein said second given angle is approximately 442.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein one of said numeral sets comprises odd integers and the other of said numeral sets comprises even integers.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein said given angle is 60.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein said member and said rotatable mask are rotatable about different axes.

9. A channel indicia display device for use in a TV receiver or the like comprising a stationary mask having an opening therein defining a viewing station, indicia carrying means located behind said stationary mask, said indicia carrying means having first and second sets of indicia thereon, said indicia being sequentially arranged in alternate sets, said sets being spaced from each other on said indicia carrying means, said indicia carrying means being movable to bring selected indicia of both of said sets sequentially into alignment with said viewing station, mask means interposed be tween said indicia carrying means and said viewing station and having thereon first and second viewing windows, said mask means being movable to align one or the other of said viewing windows alternatively with one of said sets and the other of said sets of said selected indicia, and means for driving said mask means and said indicia carrying means in synchronized fashion such that the single indicia corresponding to the frequency to which the receiver is tuned is aligned with one of said viewing windows. and said viewing station simultaneously.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein said indicia carrying means is rotatable.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein said mask means is rotatable.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein said indicia carrying means and said mask means are rotatable about different axes. 

1. A channel designation display device for use in TV or the like comprising a rotatable member having situated thereon two sets of numerals representing channel designations, said sets being arranged on said member in the form of concentric rings, each of said sets forming one of said rings, and masking means comprising a fixed opaque mask situated in front of said disc and having a transparent window aligned with a portion of both of said numeral sets and having a first dimension substantially equal to the combined width of a numeral in each of said sets and the second dimension substantially equal to the height of one of the numerals and, interposed between said member and said window, a rotatable mask having two sets of alternating opaque and transparent regions, said regions being arranged in concentric rings, each of said region sets forming one of said rings, one of said mask rings being offset relative To the other by a given angle, means for operably connecting said rotatable mask to said member, such that the rotation of said member causes said rotatable mask to alternatively mask portions of said window corresponding to first one and then the other of said numeral sets, thus permitting visibility of only a single numeral on one of said numeral sets at any one time.
 1. A channel designation display device for use in TV or the like comprising a rotatable member having situated thereon two sets of numerals representing channel designations, said sets being arranged on said member in the form of concentric rings, each of said sets forming one of said rings, and masking means comprising a fixed opaque mask situated in front of said disc and having a transparent window aligned with a portion of both of said numeral sets and having a first dimension substantially equal to the combined width of a numeral in each of said sets and the second dimension substantially equal to the height of one of the numerals and, interposed between said member and said window, a rotatable mask having two sets of alternating opaque and transparent regions, said regions being arranged in concentric rings, each of said region sets forming one of said rings, one of said mask rings being offset relative To the other by a given angle, means for operably connecting said rotatable mask to said member, such that the rotation of said member causes said rotatable mask to alternatively mask portions of said window corresponding to first one and then the other of said numeral sets, thus permitting visibility of only a single numeral on one of said numeral sets at any one time.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said angle is equal to the number of regions in any one ring on said rotatable mask divided into
 360. 3. The device according to claim 1 wherein one of said concentric rings is offset from the other by a second given angle.
 4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the rotation of said member through an arc equal to said second given angle rotates said rotatable mask through an arc equal to said given angle.
 5. The device according to claim 3 wherein said second given angle is approximately 4*42''.
 6. The device according to claim 1 wherein one of said numeral sets comprises odd integers and the other of said numeral sets comprises even integers.
 7. The device according to claim 1 wherein said given angle is 60*.
 8. The device according to claim 1 wherein said member and said rotatable mask are rotatable about different axes.
 9. A channel indicia display device for use in a TV receiver or the like comprising a stationary mask having an opening therein defining a viewing station, indicia carrying means located behind said stationary mask, said indicia carrying means having first and second sets of indicia thereon, said indicia being sequentially arranged in alternate sets, said sets being spaced from each other on said indicia carrying means, said indicia carrying means being movable to bring selected indicia of both of said sets sequentially into alignment with said viewing station, mask means interposed between said indicia carrying means and said viewing station and having thereon first and second viewing windows, said mask means being movable to align one or the other of said viewing windows alternatively with one of said sets and the other of said sets of said selected indicia, and means for driving said mask means and said indicia carrying means in synchronized fashion such that the single indicia corresponding to the frequency to which the receiver is tuned is aligned with one of said viewing windows. and said viewing station simultaneously.
 10. The device according to claim 9 wherein said indicia carrying means is rotatable.
 11. The device according to claim 10 wherein said mask means is rotatable. 